U.S. patent application number 14/583032 was filed with the patent office on 2015-07-02 for dynamic patient engagement.
The applicant listed for this patent is Zynx Health Incorporated. Invention is credited to Bernadette Minton, Eric Stoltz, Siva Subramanian, Sathi Tadi, Sharon M. Young.
Application Number | 20150187037 14/583032 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 53482348 |
Filed Date | 2015-07-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150187037 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Subramanian; Siva ; et
al. |
July 2, 2015 |
DYNAMIC PATIENT ENGAGEMENT
Abstract
Methods and systems are provided for providers on a health care
team to engage with a patient before, during and after an acute
care event. The methods include providing an interactive checklist
of action items to the patient to be completed by the user before,
during or after the acute care event and providing an interface for
communication and notification among the plurality of providers and
the patient about one or more of the action items on the
interactive checklist.
Inventors: |
Subramanian; Siva;
(Sunnyvale, CA) ; Tadi; Sathi; (Fremont, CA)
; Young; Sharon M.; (Santa Monica, CA) ; Stoltz;
Eric; (Los Angeles, CA) ; Minton; Bernadette;
(Los Angeles, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Zynx Health Incorporated |
Los Angeles |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
53482348 |
Appl. No.: |
14/583032 |
Filed: |
December 24, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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61922753 |
Dec 31, 2013 |
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61943079 |
Feb 21, 2014 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
705/2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 10/10 20130101;
G16H 10/60 20180101; G16H 70/60 20180101 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 50/22 20060101
G06Q050/22; G06Q 10/10 20060101 G06Q010/10 |
Claims
1. A computer-implemented method for engaging with a patient, the
method comprising: accessing a plurality of rules configured for
patient care before, during, and after an acute care event;
connecting a patient undergoing the acute care event to a plurality
of providers on a health care team via a mobile application on a
user device; providing a user interface to the patient comprising
an interactive checklist of action items for the patient to perform
at a plurality of time points and comprising information about the
acute care event, wherein the time points occur before, during, or
after the acute care event, wherein the information about the acute
care event comprises a location, members of the health care team,
and a schedule of the acute care event; providing an interface for
communication among members of the health care team and for
communication with the patient about the acute care event and the
checklist of action items for the patient; receiving an indication
from the patient about whether the patient has completed one or
more action items on the checklist; and sending a notification to
the members of the health care team about the one or more actions
items that have been completed or are pending on the checklist.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising
configuring a plurality of rules for patient care before, during or
after an acute care event.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising
responsive to receiving the indication from the patient, modifying
one or more of the action items on the interactive checklist.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising
responsive to receiving the indication from the patient, modifying
one or more of the rules associated with the acute care event.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising
receiving instructions from one or more members of the health care
team to modify the action items on the checklist.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising
receiving instructions from one or more members of the health care
team to modify the rules associated with the acute care event.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising
sending a notification to the patient to complete one or more
action items before or after an acute care event.
8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the
interface for communication transmits a communication from the
patient to a designated member of the healthcare team, and enables
the designated member to respond directly to the patient or
redirect the communication to another member of the healthcare
team.
9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the members
on the health care team are determined based on roles required
before, during and after the acute care event care of the
patient.
10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the
interactive checklist of action items comprises action items
associated with the patient's health.
11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the
interactive checklist of action items comprises inputs about the
condition of the patient.
12. A computer-implemented method for engaging with a patient, the
method comprising: accessing a plurality of rules configured for
patient preparation and care prior to an acute care event;
connecting a patient preparing to undergo the acute care event to a
plurality of providers on a health care team via a mobile
application on a user device; providing an interactive checklist of
action items to the patient based on the plurality of rules, the
action items to be completed by the user prior to the acute care
event; receiving an indication from the user device about whether
the patient has performed one or more of the action items on the
interactive checklist prior to the acute care event; sending a
notification to the plurality of providers about the indication
from the patient device about whether the patient has performed one
or more of the action items on the interactive checklist prior to
the acute care event; responsive to receiving an indication from
the patient that an action item has not been completed, sending a
notification to the patient to complete the action item; and
providing an interface for the plurality of providers to
communicate with the patient about the one or more action items to
be completed.
13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising
configuring a plurality of rules for patient preparation and care
prior to the acute care event.
14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising
responsive to receiving the indication from the patient, modifying
one or more of the action items on the interactive checklist.
15. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising
responsive to receiving the indication from the patient, modifying
one or more of the rules associated with the acute care event.
16. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising
responsive to receiving the indication from the patient, modifying
or canceling the acute care event.
17. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising
sending a notification to the plurality of providers that the
patient has performed the one or more of the action items on the
interactive checklist.
18. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising
receiving instructions from one or more of the providers to
reconfigure the plurality of rules based on the indication received
from the patient.
19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, further comprising
providing a revised checklist of action items to the patient based
on the instructions from the one or more health care providers.
20. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising
providing a user interface for the patient and the plurality of
providers to communicate directly about the interactive checklist
of action items.
21. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising
providing a user interface for the patient and the plurality of
providers to communicate directly about the preparation of the
patient prior to the acute care event.
22. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising
receiving one or more additional action items from a provider on
the health care team to add to the interactive check list.
23. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein receiving
an indication from the patient comprises receiving an indication
that the user has checked off an action item on the interactive
checklist.
24. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein receiving
an indication from the user comprises receiving an indication that
the user has not checked off the action item on the interactive
checklist.
25. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising
sending an automatic notification to the patient about action items
that need to be completed on the interactive checklist.
26. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the
plurality of providers on the health care team are based on roles
associated with pre-acute care event care of the patient.
27. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the
interactive checklist of action items comprises action items
associated with the patient's health.
28. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the
interactive checklist of action items comprises inputs about the
condition of the patient.
29. A computer-implemented method for engaging with a patient, the
method comprising: accessing a plurality of rules configured for
patient preparation and care after an acute care event; connecting
a patient undergoing the acute care event to a plurality of
providers on a health care team via a mobile application on a user
device; providing an interactive checklist of action items to the
patient based on the plurality of rules, the action items to be
completed by the user after the acute care event; receiving an
indication from the user device about whether the patient has
performed one or more of the action items on the interactive
checklist after the acute care event; sending a notification to the
plurality of providers about the indication from the patient device
about whether the patient has performed one or more of the action
items on the interactive checklist after the acute care event;
responsive to receiving an indication from the patient that an
action item has not been completed, sending a notification to the
patient to complete the action item; and providing an interface for
the plurality of providers to communicate with the patient about
the one or more action items to be completed.
30. The computer-implemented method of claim 29, further comprising
configuring a plurality of rules for patient preparation and care
after an acute care event.
31. The computer-implemented method of claim 29, further comprising
responsive to receiving an indication from the patient that an
action item has not been completed, modifying the plurality of
rules associated with patient preparation and care after an acute
care event.
32. The computer-implemented method of claim 29, further comprising
responsive to receiving an indication from the patient that an
action item has not been completed, modifying one or more of the
action items on the interactive checklist.
33. The computer-implemented method of claim 29, further comprising
sending a notification to the plurality of providers that the user
has performed one or more of the action items on the interactive
checklist.
34. The computer-implemented method of claim 29, further comprising
receiving instructions from one or more of the providers to
reconfigure the plurality of rules based on the indication received
from the patient.
35. The computer-implemented method of claim 33, further comprising
providing a revised checklist of action items to the patient based
on the instructions from the one or more health care providers.
36. The computer-implemented method of claim 29, further comprising
providing a user interface for the patient and the plurality of
providers to communicate directly about the post-acute care event
treatment of the patient.
37. The computer-implemented method of claim 29, further comprising
receiving one or more additional action items from a provider on
the health care team to add to the interactive check list.
38. The computer-implemented method of claim 29, wherein receiving
an indication from the patient comprises receiving an indication
that the patient has checked off an action item on the interactive
checklist.
39. The computer-implemented method of claim 29, wherein receiving
an indication from the patient comprises receiving an indication
that the patient has not checked off the action item on the
interactive checklist.
40. The computer-implemented method of claim 29, further comprising
sending an automatic notification to the patient about action items
to be completed on the interactive checklist.
41. The computer-implemented method of claim 29, wherein the
plurality of providers on the health care team are based on roles
associated with post-acute care event care of the patient.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C.
.sctn.119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.
61/922,753, "Dynamic Patient Engagement," filed Dec. 31, 2013, and
to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/943,079, "Dynamic
Patient Engagement," filed on Feb. 21, 2014. Both of these
provisional applications are incorporated herein by reference in
their entireties.
BACKGROUND
[0002] This invention relates generally to methods and systems for
dynamically engaging patients and health care providers in the
health care process.
[0003] Conventional methods and systems are limited in ways to
provide patients with direct and effective communication with
health care providers before, during, and after an acute care
event. It can be difficult for health care providers to gather
current and timely information about the patient's condition prior
to and after an acute care event. For example, a patient may be
required to partake in particular activities or tasks to prepare
for a health care event, such as surgery. In addition, the
patient's condition may need to be monitored after the acute care
event, and the patient may need to complete a variety of tasks as
part of his or her post-acute care event treatment, such as taking
a medication or following a particular diet or health care regimen.
Communicating in a timely manner among members of a health care
team and a patient before, during, and after an acute care event
can be challenging given current modes of communication used in
health care settings.
[0004] Thus, current health care methods and systems fail to
provide effective and timely means for a patient to communicate
necessary information about his or her condition and health related
activities to providers throughout the patient care process.
SUMMARY
[0005] The invention provides a computer-implemented method for
engaging with a patient including steps for accessing a plurality
of rules configured for patient care before, during, and after an
acute care event, connecting a patient undergoing the acute care
event to a plurality of providers on a health care team via a
mobile application on a user device, providing a user interface to
the patient comprising an interactive checklist of action items for
the patient to perform at a plurality of time points and
information about the acute care event, wherein the time points
occur before or after the acute care event, wherein the information
about the acute care event comprises a location, members of the
health care team, and a schedule of the acute care event. The
method also includes providing an interface for communication among
members of the health care team and for communication with the
patient about the acute care event and the checklist of action
items for the patient, receiving an indication from the patient
about whether the patient has completed one or more action items on
the checklist, and sending a notification to the members of the
health care team about the one or more actions items that have been
completed or are pending on the checklist.
[0006] In one embodiment, the method includes configuring a
plurality of rules for patient care before, during or after an
acute care event. In another embodiment, responsive to receiving
the indication from the patient, the method includes modifying one
or more of the action items on the interactive checklist. In one
embodiment, responsive to receiving the indication from the
patient, the method comprises modifying one or more of the rules
associated with the acute care event.
[0007] In another embodiment, the method includes receiving
instructions from one or more members of the health care team to
modify the action items on the checklist. In another embodiment,
the method includes receiving instructions from one or more members
of the health care team to modify the rules associated with the
acute care event. In one embodiment, the method comprises sending a
notification to the patient to complete one or more action items
before or after an acute care event. In yet another embodiment, the
method comprises providing a revised checklist of action items to
the patient.
[0008] In some embodiments, the members on the health care team are
determined based on roles required before, during and after the
acute care event care of the patient. In another embodiment, the
interactive checklist of action items comprises action items
associated with the patient's health. In yet another embodiment,
the interactive checklist of action items comprises inputs about
the condition of the patient.
[0009] The invention includes a computer-implemented method for
engaging with a patient by accessing a plurality of rules
configured for patient preparation and care prior to an acute care
event, connecting a patient preparing to undergo the acute care
event to a plurality of providers on a health care team via a
mobile application on a user device, and providing an interactive
checklist of action items to the patient based on the plurality of
rules, the action items to be completed by the user prior to the
acute care event. The method also includes receiving an indication
from the user device about whether the patient has performed one or
more of the action items on the interactive checklist prior to the
acute care event, and sending a notification to the plurality of
providers about the indication from the patient device about
whether the patient has performed one or more of the action items
on the interactive checklist prior to the acute care event. In some
embodiments, responsive to receiving an indication from the patient
that an action item has not been completed, the method includes
sending a notification to the patient to complete the action item
and providing an interface for the plurality of providers to
communicate with the patient about the one or more action items to
be completed.
[0010] Another embodiment includes a computer-implemented method
for engaging with a patient by accessing a plurality of rules
configured for patient preparation and care after an acute care
event, connecting a patient undergoing the acute care event to a
plurality of providers on a health care team via a mobile
application on a user device, providing an interactive checklist of
action items to the patient based on the plurality of rules, the
action items to be completed by the user after the acute care
event, receiving an indication from the user device about whether
the patient has performed one or more of the action items on the
interactive checklist after the acute care event, and sending a
notification to the plurality of providers about the indication
from the patient device about whether the patient has performed one
or more of the action items on the interactive checklist after the
acute care event. The method also includes responsive to receiving
an indication from the patient that an action item has not been
completed, sending a notification to the patient to complete the
action item, and providing an interface for the plurality of
providers to communicate with the patient about the one or more
action items to be completed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a high-level block diagram that illustrates a
system environment 100 for team-based health care management,
according to an embodiment of the invention.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a high-level block diagram illustrating an example
of a computer, according to one embodiment of the invention.
[0013] FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a plurality of health care
providers who are connected to a patient as part of a health care
team, according to an embodiment of the invention.
[0014] FIG. 4 illustrates an example timeline for a patient based
on an acute care event, showing the different health care teams
assigned to the patient before, during and after an acute care
event, according to an embodiment of the invention.
[0015] FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a screenshot of a checklist
application and messaging module on a mobile device, according to
one embodiment of the invention.
[0016] FIG. 6 illustrates a timeline for an acute care event and
communications among the patient and providers on the health care
team, according to one embodiment of the invention.
[0017] FIG. 7 illustrates a user interface on a mobile device for
viewing tasks and activities related to a patient's daily treatment
or care, according to one embodiment of the invention.
[0018] The figures depict various embodiments of the present
invention for purposes of illustration only. One skilled in the art
will readily recognize from the following discussion that
alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated
herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the
invention described herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Overview
[0019] The invention provides methods and systems for providers on
a health care team to dynamically engage and communicate with a
patient prior to, during, and after an acute care event via a
mobile communication platform.
[0020] An acute care event includes, but is not limited to, a
health care event, process, treatment, intervention, regimen,
medical visit or assessment, examination, or procedure for a
patient. Some examples include, but are not limited to, a physician
or hospital visit, surgical procedure (invasive or non-invasive),
health exam, routine or follow up visit, blood test, urine test,
gastro-intestinal (GI) testing, immunization, health screening,
cosmetic procedure, or other health related procedures (e.g.,
x-ray, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)).
[0021] A health care provider can be a physician, specialist (e.g.,
anesthesiologist, cardiologist, gastroenterologist, obstetrician,
surgeon), social worker, physical therapist, hospital
administrator, case manager, charge nurse, home care nurse, nurse's
assistant, dietician, physician's assistant, or other health care
worker. In some embodiments, the health care provider can be
associated with or affiliated with one or more hospitals, health
care groups or organizations, or a health care facility. The health
care provider also includes members of the patient's immediate
family, friends, or caregivers. The various health care providers
who are assigned or associated with the patient form a health care
team for the patient and act as members of the health care
team.
[0022] The members of the health care team can be associated with
one or more health care facilities or organizations, and these can
include facilities or organizations that are not affiliated with
one another or owned by the same entity.
[0023] FIG. 1 is a high-level block diagram that illustrates a
system environment 100 for team-based health care management. As
shown, the system environment 100 includes a network 110, a server
120, a user device 130, and an electronic health records (EHR)
system 140.
[0024] The network 110 represents the communication pathway between
the server 120 and the user device 130. In one embodiment, the
network 110 uses standard communications technologies and/or
protocols and can include the Internet as well as mobile telephone
networks. Thus, the network 110 can include links using
technologies such as Ethernet, 802.11, worldwide interoperability
for microwave access (WiMAX), 2G/3G/4G mobile communications
protocols, digital subscriber line (DSL), asynchronous transfer
mode (ATM), InfiniBand, PCI Express Advanced Switching, etc.
Similarly, the networking protocols used on the network 110 can
include multiprotocol label switching (MPLS), the transmission
control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP), the User Datagram
Protocol (UDP), the hypertext transport protocol (HTTP), the simple
mail transfer protocol (SMTP), the file transfer protocol (FTP),
etc. The data exchanged over the network 110 can be represented
using technologies and/or formats including image data in binary
form (e.g. Portable Network Graphics (PNG)), the hypertext markup
language (HTML), the extensible markup language (XML), etc. In
addition, all or some of links can be encrypted using conventional
encryption technologies such as secure sockets layer (SSL),
transport layer security (TLS), virtual private networks (VPNs),
Internet Protocol security (IPsec), etc. In another embodiment, the
entities on the network 110 can use custom and/or dedicated data
communications technologies instead of, or in addition to, the ones
described above.
[0025] The server 120 includes a provider database 121, a rules
database 122, a roles database 123, a patient database 124, a
checklist application 125, and a messaging module 126. Other
databases and modules can be included instead of, or in addition
to, those described herein.
[0026] The provider database 121 stores data about the health care
providers who form health care teams assigned to patients. The
provider database 121 can include data for physicians, specialists,
interns, hospital administrators, nurses, physician's assistants,
counselors, social workers, other health care specialists and the
like. The data stored for a health care provider can include his or
her experience, background, skills, credentials, and/or affiliation
with organizations, hospitals and other health care settings.
Examples of health care settings include, but are not limited to,
academic or research hospitals, medical offices, medical
institutions, outpatient facilities, home-care settings, or
clinics. Data about the health care provider can also include his
or her work shift, availability of hours, ability to perform
certain tasks, previous history with a patient, and roles or
positions within the health care setting. As used herein, a
provider can refer to any health care provider on a health care
team, and can be used interchangeably with the term "member" or
"team member."
[0027] The rules database 122 stores rules for determining action
items for a patient's treatment and care in association with an
acute care event. These rules can be configured for use in the
system prior to engagement with a patient, and can be referred to
herein as predetermined rules. The rules can be generated from
medical guidelines, recommendations, standards, input from health
care providers, or other conventional medical practices for
determining action items for a patient before, during, or after an
acute care event. The rules are used to determine the number and
type of action items that a patient must perform in preparation
for, during, and after an acute care event. Examples of action
items can include, but not limited to, following a diet regimen,
following an exercise program, taking medications in a timely
manner, monitoring blood sugar or blood pressure, getting an x-ray,
measuring body temperature, reporting physical symptoms, such as
one's ability to walk, or reporting pain measures. The rules are
stored and can be used to associate or match the patient's
symptoms, disorder, disease, and/or other medical condition(s) with
checklist action items for the patient prior to or after the acute
care event. The rules can also determine which health care roles
are required for a health care team assigned to the patient for the
acute care event (e.g., surgery requires one surgeon, one
anesthesiologist, one nurse, etc.).
[0028] The roles database 123 stores various roles that are filled
by health care providers on a health care team. Examples of roles
include, but are not limited to, a physician (including various
types of physicians and specialists), medical intern, nurse
(various types of nurses, e.g., charge nurse, surgery nurse, home
care nurse), physician's assistant, hospital administrator, lab
technician, or hospital worker. Each role can be stored with
required experience, skills, credentials, training, areas of
expertise, background, and/or abilities to perform certain tasks.
For each patient condition or situation, a different set of roles
are required to form a health care team. The roles database 123 can
store the types and number of roles needed for various medical
conditions or needs for patients. These roles are used to assign
individual providers to a health care team for a patient.
Communication via a messaging system between the patient and the
providers can also be based on the roles of the health care team.
For instance, the individuals who perform the role of "charge
nurse" may change over the course of treatment of a patient, but
the role of "charge nurse" can remain as a part of the health care
team assigned to the patient, and the individual assigned to the
role at a given time can communicate with the patient based on the
role.
[0029] The patient database 124 stores information about patients
and can include information about the patient's medical condition,
records, medical history, and other relevant information for the
health care providers on the health care team. The health care
providers can submit and store information about the patient in the
patient database 124, and this patient information can be accessed
by current and future team members as transition events occur for
the patient and new teams are formed. This information can also be
sent in notifications to the team of health care providers when
needed. The patient data can be used to generate the interactive
checklist of action items for the patient. For example, patient
data about a patient's history of diabetes and high blood pressure
can be used to generate a checklist of action items for a
diabetes-based diet and exercise program for the patient in
preparation for or after an acute care event.
[0030] In some embodiments, the server 120 includes a team
formation engine (not shown), which is used to generate a health
care team for the patient. Methods describing team formation are
described in U.S. Ser. No. 13/966,265, filed on Aug. 13, 2013. The
team formation engine can receive information about the patient's
medical condition or need(s), which can include the patient's
medical history, present medical condition, and/or need for
treatment or preventative care. The team formation engine uses the
rules database 122 to match the medical need(s) of the patient to
roles for a health care team. The team formation engine can match
the selected roles to available health care providers who meet the
criteria for the roles. The team formation engine can notify the
selected providers about filling the roles of the team via the
messaging module 126. The team formation engine can also generate
new health care teams and transition information between members of
the previous health care team to a new health care team for the
patient. The team formation engine can introduce a new role to a
team by adding a new health care provider, or replace a first
provider in a role with a second provider. Any changes to a
previous team can constitute the formation of a new health care
team for the patient.
[0031] The checklist application 125 uses the providers from the
provider database 121, the rules from the rules database 122, and
the roles from the roles database 123 to generate a checklist of
action items for a patient to perform before, during and/or after
an acute care event and to connect the patient to members of the
health care team. The checklist application 125 can generate a
checklist of action items for the patient based on the medical
need/condition of the patient, an upcoming or past acute care
event, predetermined rules about the required actions for treatment
and care of the patient, and/or input from providers on the health
care team, for example. The checklist application 125 generates the
checklist of action items and presents them to the patient via a
user interface on the mobile application. The patient can view and
interact with the checklist by checking off items or clicking on
items that have been completed. In some embodiments, the action of
checking off an item will automatically send a notification to the
members of the health care team that the patient has completed an
action item. In other embodiments, the checklist application 125
can generate reminders to the user and/or members of health care
team about pending items (not yet completed) on the checklist. In
another embodiment, the checklist application 125 can generate
notifications to the members of the health care team when a patient
has completed an action item, or when a patient has not yet
completed an action item. These notifications can be triggered by a
notification date or a completion date set up for an action item.
In some embodiments, the checklist application 125 can include a
checklist of the pre- and/or post-acute care event tasks or items
that the patient must report or complete prior to and/or after the
acute care event. In other embodiments, the one or more health care
providers on the health care team can provide input for generating
the checklist of "to-do" items for the patient. In yet other
embodiments, the checklist is generated automatically based on
predetermined rules for treatment and/or care of the particular
condition of the patient. These rules can be generated from health
care studies, well-established health care practices, medical and
research publications, etc.
[0032] In certain embodiments, the checklist application 125 can be
an interactive tool that is coupled to the messaging module 126. In
some embodiments, a patient's input about completion of a task on
the checklist is communicated automatically to members of the
patient's health care team. These notifications can be sent via
text message, email, or other form of online, phone, or mobile
communication. In other embodiments, the patient can manually send
a communication to the health care team members about completion of
an item on the checklist.
[0033] The messaging module 126 provides a communication interface
for the providers and the patient to engage and communicate with
each other. The messaging module 126 provides real-time
communications among the patient and all members of the health care
team based on the roles. For example, a patient may communicate
information regarding her goals, priorities, concerns, and
questions to her healthcare team or to a particular member of the
healthcare team (e.g., a designated representative, such as a case
manager) via the messaging module 126. The messaging module 126
allows each member on the health care team to see the various roles
on the team and who is playing each role on the team. Information
about the patient and notifications about the completed and pending
checklist action items are sent to members of the health care team.
A patient can also directly notify one or more members of the
health care team based on the role of the health care team member.
This can be a communication about the patient's symptoms,
notifications about checklist action items, questions about
treatment, preparation or post-recovery care, etc. One or more
members of the health care team can respond to the patient via the
messaging module 126. The health care team members can also use the
messaging module 126 to communicate with the system to modify the
checklist action items, reconfigure rules used to generate
checklists, or modify or cancel the acute care event.
[0034] In one embodiment, the messaging module 126 transmits
communications, such as questions or concerns, from the patient to
a designated member on the patient's healthcare team. Specifically,
when the patient initiates a communication with her healthcare
team, the messaging module 126 accesses the patient database 124
and the roles database 123 to identify the member on the patient's
healthcare team who is designated to triage the patient's
communication. For example, the case manager may be designated as
healthcare team member who will triage the patient's communication.
Once the designated member is identified, the messaging module 126
transmits a notification to the designated member indicating the
communication from the patient. The messaging module 126 enables
the designated member to respond directly with the patient
regarding the patient's communicated via the messaging module 126.
Alternatively, the messaging module 126 enables the designated
member to redirect the patient's communication to another member of
the healthcare team who would be equipped to respond to the
patient's communication. The other member can then respond directly
to the patient's communication via the messaging module 126.
[0035] In one embodiment, a mobile application executing on the
patient's device exposes interfaces to the messaging module 126
from various sections of the mobile application. For example, the
mobile application may have a medication instructions section that
exposes an interface to the messaging module 126. Such an interface
allows the patient to communicate with her healthcare team from the
section in the mobile application where the patient is viewing
information about which she may have questions or concerns.
Further, such an interface may allow the patient to provide
additional context in her communications to the healthcare team.
For example, the interface may allow the patient to highlight a
portion of the section about which she has questions or concerns.
The highlighted portion, or a representation thereof, may then be
transmitted via the messaging module 126 to the healthcare team in
conjunction with the patient's question or concern.
[0036] The user device (or devices) 130 can be any device that
allows communication to the server 120 via the network 110. The
user device 130 provides an interface with which a patient and one
or more providers can interact with each other and the server 120
to view and engage in providing data, messages and notifications.
Examples of user devices 130 include, but are not limited to,
computers, smart phones, mobile phones, tablets, and the like.
[0037] The EHR system 140 maintains digital health records for at
least a subset of the patients whose information is also stored in
the patient database 124. In one embodiment, the server 120
interfaces with the EHR system 140 to retrieve relevant information
about a patient and store that information in the patient database
124. Examples of such information include discharge instructions,
emergency contact information, do-not-resuscitate instructions, and
power of attorney documents. Retrieving information about a patient
that is already available within the EHR system 140 reduces the
amount of information that the patient's healthcare team needs to
manually enter in order to populate the patient database 124. In
some embodiments, information from the patient database 124 may be
transmitted to the EHR system 140. For example, a change in the
emergency contact information of a patient captured by the patient
database 124 may be propagated to the EHR system 140 such that the
EHR system 140 remains up-to-date.
[0038] Computer Overview
[0039] FIG. 2 is a high-level block diagram illustrating an example
of a computer 200 for use as a server 120 or a user device 130, in
accordance with one embodiment. Illustrated are at least one
processor 202 coupled to a chipset 204. The chipset 204 includes a
memory controller hub 250 and an input/output (I/O) controller hub
255. A memory 206 and a graphics adapter 213 are coupled to the
memory controller hub 250, and a display device 218 is coupled to
the graphics adapter 213. A storage device 208, keyboard 210,
pointing device 214, and network adapter 216 are coupled to the I/O
controller hub 255. Other embodiments of the computer 200 have
different architectures. For example, the memory 206 is directly
coupled to the processor 202 in some embodiments.
[0040] The storage device 208 is a non-transitory computer-readable
storage medium such as a hard drive, compact disk read-only memory
(CD-ROM), DVD, or a solid-state memory device. The memory 206 holds
instructions and data used by the processor 202. The pointing
device 214 is used in combination with the keyboard 210 to input
data into the computer system 200. The graphics adapter 213
displays images and other information on the display device 218. In
some embodiments, the display device 218 includes a touch screen
capability for receiving user input and selections. The network
adapter 216 couples the computer system 200 to the network 101.
Some embodiments of the computer 200 have different and/or other
components than those shown in FIG. 2. For example, the server 120
can be formed of multiple blade servers and lack a display device,
keyboard, and other components.
[0041] The computer 200 is adapted to execute computer program
modules for providing functionality described herein. As used
herein, the term "module" refers to computer program instructions
and other logic used to provide the specified functionality. Thus,
a module can be implemented in hardware, firmware, and/or software.
In one embodiment, program modules formed of executable computer
program instructions are stored on the storage device 208, loaded
into the memory 206, and executed by the processor 202.
[0042] FIG. 3 provides an example of a network of various health
care providers on a health care team who are connected to a patient
301. Each of the health care providers can be associated with one
or more different health care facilities. For example, the health
care providers can be associated with a hospital 302, a private
practice 303 (e.g., doctor's office), and/or a rehabilitation
facility 304. The patient's health care team also includes members
of the patient's household 305 (e.g., family members, close
friends, or caregivers). The members of the health care team can
change as the patient's condition and health care needs evolve. New
team members can be added, and existing team members can be removed
over time. Methods describing health care team formation are
provided in U.S. application Ser. No. 13/966,265, filed on Aug. 13,
2013, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
[0043] FIG. 4 shows an example of a timeline of an acute care event
400 for a patient. The timeline shows periods of time prior to
(preparation period 420), during, and after an acute care event 400
(recovery period 430). Prior to the acute care event 400, the
patient 301 may take measures and actions to prepare for the acute
care event 400. During this period, the patient's health care team
410 can include a patient's family members and members of a health
care team 410, such as a primary care doctor. The patient 301 is
then admitted into a facility for the acute care event 400, for
example, to undergo surgery. As shown in FIG. 4, when the patient
301 is admitted to Facility "X," such as a hospital, the health
care team 410 can change its roles to include more or less health
care providers, such as a physician, a charge nurse, and a case
manager, and/or to change the individuals filling the various roles
on the health care team 410.
[0044] After the surgery, the patient 301 can be discharged from
the facility to another facility (e.g., home, outpatient, rehab)
and assigned one or more health care tasks and guidelines for post
event care. These health care tasks and guidelines (e.g., action
items) can be presented on an interactive checklist on a mobile
application, as described herein. At that time, the health care
team 410 can include the patient's family members, a physician, and
a home care nurse. Later on, the patient 301 may visit a
rehabilitation facility, for example, and the health care team 410
can include the patient's family members and a physical
therapist.
[0045] The roles that form a health care team and the members who
fill the roles on the health care team can be determined by
predetermined rules for generating a health care team (e.g., based
on roles required for care of the patient during the preparation
period, acute care event, or recovery period). For example, surgery
may require a certain number of different roles to be filled on the
health care team (e.g., surgeon, surgery nurse, anesthesiologist,
etc.). As the patient's needs change and/or an acute care event
takes place, different rules are used to determine which roles and
health care providers are assigned to the patient and form the
health care team. The changes in the structure and function of the
health care team over time are made seamlessly, as the patient
undergoes the acute care event, transitions moves from one facility
to the next, or experiences changes in his or her medical
condition.
[0046] Prior to an acute care event, a patient may be required to
prepare for an acute care event by completing a number of tasks or
health related activities. These pre-acute care event tasks or
activities can include, for example, fasting, following a
particular diet, exercising, resting, refraining from smoking or
drinking alcohol, taking medications or supplements, or visiting a
care facility or provider. Other pre-acute care event tasks can
include, but are not limited to, getting x-rays, taking blood or
stool tests, maintaining sodium levels, maintaining weight,
avoiding solid foods (liquid diet), or avoiding strenuous
activities.
[0047] After the acute care event takes place, the patient can also
be required to perform post-event activities or tasks or to
periodically report his progress or condition to the health care
team. For instance, the patient may need to tend to surgical wounds
(e.g., changing bandages or applying ointments), take medication on
a timely basis, visit a follow-up health care provider or facility,
or manage his or her diet and exercise. The pre- and post-acute
care event tasks can also include reporting of the patient's health
condition and various health barometers (e.g., ability to move or
walk, fatigue levels, pain levels, digestive issues, symptoms,
etc.).
[0048] FIG. 5 provides an example of a screenshot of a user
interface for the checklist application 125 and messaging module
126 on a user device, according to one embodiment of the invention.
A user interface can be provided to the user that displays a
checklist of action items for the patient to complete prior to the
acute care event. For example, the patient may be required to fast
12 hours before surgery or instructed to avoid consumption of
alcohol or read meat prior to surgery. When a user checks an action
item as completed on the checklist, an automatic notification can
be sent to the system to indicate that the action item has been
completed. The system can send notifications to members of the
health care team to indicate that one or more action items have
been completed by the patient.
[0049] On the other hand, if an action item on the checklist has
not been completed by a certain date or period of time, the system
is notified about the pending or delinquent action item. In some
embodiments, the system can send a reminder notification to the
patient to complete the action item. The system can also send
notifications to the members of the health care team notifying the
provider that the action item has not been completed. In response,
one or more providers can communicate with the patient about the
checklist items via the messaging module on the mobile application.
The health care team members can also revise or reconfigure the
checklist action items to include or remove various tasks,
according to changes in the patient's condition or treatment
decisions. These changes can be implemented in real-time and
dynamically as the patient's communications are sent to members of
the health care team.
[0050] In another embodiment, the system can provide an automatic
notification and/or prompt to the patient about upcoming tasks to
be completed. These notifications and/or prompts can be sent to the
health care team members.
[0051] In other embodiments, notifications can be sent to the
patient and/or health care team when the patient fails to complete
a task or send a communication by a designated time or date. These
notifications can be sent automatically when a deadline has passed
for completion of a task. In other embodiments, the notification
can be sent manually by one of the health care team members to the
patient. The notification can be sent via text message, email, or
phone message, or other phone, web, mobile, or computer-implemented
method to the patient and health care team members.
[0052] In some embodiments, a patient can report to the health care
team members about the patient's condition and/or completion of one
or more checklist activities prior to and after the acute care
event. For example, a patient may need to prepare for the acute
care event by completing a health care task (e.g., by maintaining a
liquid diet for two days) or reporting a health-related parameter
(e.g., patient's pain levels) prior to being admitted to the health
care facility.
[0053] The checklist can also be interactive, in some embodiments.
As explained above, a mobile application executing on the patient's
device can expose interfaces to the messaging module 126 such that
the patient can select an item on the checklist and communicate
with the healthcare team regarding that item. For example, if the
patient has a question about the "Take beta blockers once daily"
item on the checklist, the user can select this item or select an
icon associated with this item (e.g., icon 501) to ask a question
about this item. In one example, the selection opens a user
interface or questions box on the checklist page that allows the
patient to enter a question or comment. The question/comment can be
transmitted to the healthcare team or to the designated member of
the team along with the context associated with the question. For
example, the healthcare team may be able to determine that the
question was asked with regard to this particular checklist or with
regard to the "Take beta blockers once daily" item on the
checklist, making it easier for the healthcare team member to
understand the context associated with the question and respond
appropriately.
[0054] As shown in FIG. 6, the patient 301 can communicate or
report 410 his condition and/or completion of the task to the
health care team 410 of provider(s) prior to admission into the
health care facility. In one example, if the patient 301 has failed
to report completion of the task, a member of the health care team
410 can cancel or reschedule the acute care event 400. In another
embodiment, a health care provider 410 can send 620 a communication
to the patient about preparation for the acute care event 400, such
as a reminder message to the patient to complete one or more action
items prior to the acute care event 400. In some cases, the health
care provider 410 can send a message to the patient's family
members or caregivers to remind them about the health care task(s)
to be completed. If the patient has completed all of the pre-acute
care event requirements, then the patient can be admitted into the
health care facility and the acute care event 400 can take
place.
[0055] After the acute care event 400 takes place and the patient
301 has been discharged from the health care facility, the patient
301 can continue to engage and communicate 630 with the health care
team members 410 about his or her condition and/or completion of
post-event tasks via the mobile application. For example, a patient
may need to report his ability to walk after completion of surgery
or any discomfort or pain after a hospital visit. A provider can
monitor the patient's condition and completion of post-acute care
event tasks, and communicate 640 with the patient (e.g., with
further instructions) based on the patient's communications with
the health care team.
[0056] In some embodiments, the provider(s) on the health care team
410 can reconfigure the rules that determine the action items on
the patient's checklist. The system can update the rules for
determining the action items on the checklist and generate a new
checklist of action items for the patient. In other embodiments,
the provider can change and update the action items on the
patient's checklist, and an updated checklist is sent to the
patient's mobile application.
[0057] The changes to the action items on the checklist can be made
in response to a patient's communications or notifications about
his or her symptoms, changes in recovery, or reactions to
medications, for example. The provider can intervene and
reconfigure the patient's post-acute care event checklist
(including tasks/activities, treatment, or prescription) based on
the communications from the patient. The patient's communications
with the health care team about his progress and/or condition can
help the health care team members to intervene and make any needed
course corrections regarding the patient's treatment. For example,
if the patient is experiencing signs of infection after the
hospital visit, a member of the health care team can instruct the
patient to return to the hospital or to visit his primary care
physician for a follow-up visit. In another example, if a patient
is reporting an increase in pain after surgery, a health care team
member can adjust the amount of pain medications prescribed to the
patient.
[0058] In some embodiments, the patient can set his or her own
health related goals to be met after the acute care event. These
can include, for example, weight loss goals or health measurements
(e.g., cholesterol levels, blood pressure). The patient can add
these to the checklist and communicate his or her progress to the
health care team.
[0059] In certain embodiments, methods are provided for the
patient's family members and/or caregivers to communicate directly
with the other health care providers. In some cases, the family
members or care givers can communicate on the patient's behalf. For
example, if a patient is recovering from surgery, a family member
can send a communication to the health care team about the
patient's condition or progress.
[0060] In some embodiments, methods are provided for the patient to
communicate with the current health care team members assigned to
the patient, as the providers change over time and as the patient
is moved from one location to another. The system also provides for
a user interface for the patient to view the identities of the
health care providers assigned to his or her care. For example, the
patient can view who is on the health care team while he is in the
hospital (e.g., Nurse Jones, Dr. Smith). Methods for messaging
among health care team members are described in U.S. application
Ser. No. 13/966,265, filed on Aug. 13, 2013, which is incorporated
by reference in its entirety.
[0061] In other embodiments, methods are provided for the patient
to view with the various tasks and activities related to the acute
care event. In some embodiments, the user interface for the patient
includes information about the locations of the facilities, roles
and data about the health care personnel, instructions for
preparation and/or recovery, and information about the acute care
event. As shown in FIG. 7, a patient is admitted into a health care
facility "X" and can view a display in the mobile application about
the acute care event, according to an embodiment of the invention.
Facility "X" can be a hospital, outpatient facility, clinic, etc.
The user interface displays the health care tasks assigned to each
day of the patient's stay. The display can also show the health
care team members that are assigned to the patient for a particular
day during the stay. For example, on Day 1, the treatment plan
includes a blood test and a urine test. In some embodiments, the
application also provides instructions to the patient about where
to go in the facility to receive treatment (e.g., laboratory,
operating room). Prompts or notifications can be sent to the
patient (via mobile messaging or other form of online
communication) to inform, assist, or direct the patient about the
next tasks and locations on the patient's schedule. The patient can
then be discharged to facility "Y," which can be the patient's
home, rehab facility, etc. This allows the patient to have an
informative and guided experience in the health care facility and
removes any confusion about the treatment plan (and locations)
during the patient's stay.
[0062] Thus, the methods of the invention provide for the first
time a simultaneous, dynamic process that allows for seamlessly
changing the members of the health care team assigned to the
patient according to the tasks or event or condition of the
patient, providing direct engagement with the patient before,
during, and after an acute care event, and providing interactive
checklists for preparation and/or recovery periods of the patient.
The methods of the invention allow for collaborative and dynamic
patient care in a seamless manner in various patient transitions
and health care settings.
SUMMARY
[0063] The foregoing description of the embodiments of the
invention has been presented for the purpose of illustration; it is
not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the
precise forms disclosed. Persons skilled in the relevant art can
appreciate that many modifications and variations are possible in
light of the above disclosure.
[0064] Some portions of this description describe the embodiments
of the invention in terms of algorithms and symbolic
representations of operations on information. These algorithmic
descriptions and representations are commonly used by those skilled
in the data processing arts to convey the substance of their work
effectively to others skilled in the art. These operations, while
described functionally, computationally, or logically, are
understood to be implemented by computer programs or equivalent
electrical circuits, microcode, or the like. Furthermore, it has
also proven convenient at times, to refer to these arrangements of
operations as modules, without loss of generality. The described
operations and their associated modules may be embodied in
software, firmware, hardware, or any combinations thereof.
[0065] Any of the steps, operations, or processes described herein
may be performed or implemented with one or more hardware or
software modules, alone or in combination with other devices. In
one embodiment, a software module is implemented with a computer
program product comprising a computer-readable medium containing
computer program code, which can be executed by a computer
processor for performing any or all of the steps, operations, or
processes described.
[0066] Embodiments of the invention may also relate to an apparatus
for performing the operations herein. This apparatus may be
specially constructed for the required purposes, and/or it may
comprise a general-purpose computing device selectively activated
or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. Such
a computer program may be stored in a tangible computer readable
storage medium or any type of media suitable for storing electronic
instructions, and coupled to a computer system bus. Furthermore,
any computing systems referred to in the specification may include
a single processor or may be architectures employing multiple
processor designs for increased computing capability.
[0067] Embodiments of the invention may also relate to a computer
data signal embodied in a carrier wave, where the computer data
signal includes any embodiment of a computer program product or
other data combination described herein. The computer data signal
is a product that is presented in a tangible medium or carrier wave
and modulated or otherwise encoded in the carrier wave, which is
tangible, and transmitted according to any suitable transmission
method.
[0068] Finally, the language used in the specification has been
principally selected for readability and instructional purposes,
and it may not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the
inventive subject matter. It is therefore intended that the scope
of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but
rather by any claims that issue on an application based hereon.
Accordingly, the disclosure of the embodiments of the invention is
intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the
invention, which is set forth in the following claims.
* * * * *